Visit Pat O’Brien’s to enjoy a delicious Hurricane, the rum-based drink that has become synonymous with New Orleans. (Photo by Jathan Fink, Jadeworks Entertainment)

When friends tell us that they’re visiting New Orleans, it is almost as if they lit the gas lights on Decatur Street, because brilliant smiles spontaneously brighten our faces, illuminating our jazz-tinged memories of the Crescent City. For us, New Orleans is our happy place, that special community which wins our hearts every time we visit with its amazing smells, unforgettable sights, and mouthwatering cuisine, not to mention a soundtrack that envelopes you and seems to throb in your very soul. Read more of this post